Improvement in the running-gear of carriages



R. :MURDOGE- Runningfiear; No. 15,189. Patented June 24, 1856 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD MURDOCH, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE RUNNING-GEAR O F CA'RRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 15,189, dated June 24,1856.

T0 to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD MURDOCH, of the city of Baltimore, and Stateof Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Running-Gearof Vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the annexeddrawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedrunning-gear. Fig. 2 is a plan. Fig. 3 is a plan showing short axles inoblique position. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on 00 as. Fig. 5 is avertical section on y y.

Similar letters otireference in the several figures denote the sameparts.

The nature of my invention consists in connecting the inner ends ofshort independent axles with boxes sliding upon a swivel-bar, in

order to give the requisite strength to the sys tem, and at the sametime admit of the free movem entof the said axles about theirattachment; and, further, my invention consists in making thisattachment of a bolt perpendicular to the axle, and passing through thesame and the permanent cross-bar of the forward portion of therunning-gear. The details of construction and operation are as follows:

In the drawings, W W are the wheels, 13 the rear axle, O the forecross-bar, and D the pole, of the vehicle. The fore wheels are mountedupon the short axles a. a, on whose inner extremities are boxes I) b,capable of sliding upon a bar 0, which is movable about the axis of thebolt d. These axles are attached to the extremities of the cross-bar Oby bolts e, passing through the axle and bracelever f, as shown in Fig.5. The inner extremities of the axles are attached to the boxes I) byaloose connection 1;, which permits the free movement of the box alongthe bar as the axle is turned about its attachment to cross-bar O. Theportion of the axle at through which the bolt 6 passes is embraced bythe brace-lever f and strap g, secured by bolts h, as shown in Fig. 5.The lever-braces f are connected with each other and with the tongue Dby bar Z, bolts m uniting these parts. By this connection of the pole Dwith the lever-braces f the movement of the axles is produced, theswivel-bar c turning with the movement of the axles, as shown in Fig. 3.By this connection of the inner ends of the axles with the bar 0 theaxles are supported in every position they may assumewith the bracingrequisite to insure the strength of the system. This obviates thenecessity for stationary ways to support the ends of the axles in theirtravel, and gives the strength which is wanting in those constructionswhere the ends of the axles are left unsupported, thus combining thestrength of the former and the free motion of the latter construction.

The bolt-connection gives a simple mode of attaching the axle to thecrossbar, which is easily renewed when from wear the connection becomesloose.

The swivel-bar c is connected with bolt 01 by being let into acylindrical piece n, secured to plate 19, in which bolt d is fixed, asshown in Fig. 4, the upper portion of bolt 01 passing through thestationary plate q and cross-piece C. This connection may be varied inany manner which will permit a free movement to the bar 0.

I disclaim the short axles and the manner of turning them about theirattachments, such constituting no part of my invention. I also disclaimsupporting the extremities of the axles on stationary tramways duringtheir movement; but

What I do claim as new and of my own invention, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

The swivel-bar c and boxes I) b, in combination with the short axles aa, connected. with the extremities of the cross-bar, substantially asdescribed, operating as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name before twosubscribing witnesses.

RICHARD MURDOCH.

Witnesses:

JOHN S. HoLLINesHEAD, v GEO. PATTEN.

